Misha's Vineyard The Starlet Central Otago Sauvignon Blanc 2015

Description

Dry

"Bright, pale straw-yellow colour with slight green hues, lighter on the edge. The nose is firm and tightly packed with a deep amalgam of green stonefruits and subtle notes of tropical fruits, lantana and herbs entwined with nutty and mouthwatering mineral elements. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate fresh, rich flavours of tropical fruits, green stonefruits, gooseberry and herbs forming a tightly bound core. The mouthfeel is lively with crisp acidity and the wine flows with good energy along a fine-textured, smooth line leading to a lingering finish of gooseberries and herbs. This is a tightly concentrated, lively and refreshing oak-influenced Sauvignon Blanc with green stonefuit, tropical fruit, gooseberry and herb flavours, and a fine-textured palate. Match with seafood, poultry and pork dishes over the next 3 years. MS clone fruit hand-picked fruit, WBP, 77% cool-fermented in stainless-steel and 23% indigenous yeast fermented in older oak to 14.0% alc. 1,136 dozen made" Raymond Chan, April 2017

A unique mix of mango, lemongrass, white pear and fennel aromas, this silky Sauvignon Blanc has citrus notes followed by a depth of fl avour that lingers with hints of passionfruit.

Misha’s Vineyard is located on a spectacular site in New Zealand on the edge of Lake Dunstan in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. The sun drenched north-west facing terraces of the 57 hectare estate provide optimal conditions for producing world-class Pinot Noir and aromatic white varieties. Our ‘no compromise’ philosophy requires exacting viticulture regimes, hand-picking, and considerate winemaking methodologies.

The 2015 Central Otago growing season was the game of two halves – initially very cold and dry, then much warmer than normal. Dry conditions persisted throughout the growing season with less than 100mm of rain recorded (versus an average of 200mm). The cool temperatures through to the end of November delayed canopy growth. Temperatures warmed up in December and enabled good fl owering and fruit set and conditions stayed warm right through until harvest which commenced on 8th April. The season finished with the best canopy growth we have seen but this was also partly due to less impact from wind.

The fruit was in pristine condition when we hand-picked the Sauvignon Blanc at 6.8 tonnes per hectare with acids slightly lower than normal and sugars slightly less than average. Growing Degree Days (GDDs) were 1150.  The fruit was hand-picked and whole bunch pressed. The free run and early press portion (77%) was handled in an anaerobic manner – it was settled, racked, inoculated then cool fermented in stainless steel. The remaining juice portion was handled more oxidatively and was taken to older French oak barrels and allowed to go through a spontaneous ferment. This process whilst initially warmer (>20ºC) also tends to take longer to fi nish giving a more complex ferment character in the wine.Cellar upto 1-6+ years

Food Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing dry white wine that can be enjoyed on its own which is why it is such a popular variety. When matching with food, it is particularly suited to fresh and grilled seafood, ideal with most appetisers and it can be a perfect match to salads, vegetable dishes or white meats. The best cheese matches include goat cheese, feta, pecorino or sharp cheddars.